Direction-conscious information sharing

• US 8,433,759 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2010
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Styles, Andrew G., Phillips, Christian G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Jungwon
• Application Number:
  US12/786,338
• Publication Number:
  US 20110289147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.3, 455/466, 455/411, 455/414.1, 715/772, 715/863, 382/313, 342/359, 709/205
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883

Abstract

Direction-conscious information sharing is disclosed. User input specifying information to be shared and a direction relative to the sender device is received. A recipient device is identified as being located in a target area in the specified direction relative to the sender device. The specified information is sent to the identified recipient device, including data to allow the receiving device to generate a notification indicating a direction of the sender device relative to the recipient device.

Claims

1. A method of direction-conscious information sharing, the method comprising:

receiving user input at a sender device, the user input specifying information to be shared and a direction relative to the sender device;

executing instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor identifies a recipient device located in a target area, the target area being defined based on the specified direction relative to the sender device; and

sending the specified information to the recipient device, including data to allow the recipient device to generate a notification indicating a direction of the sender device relative to the recipient device, wherein indicating a direction of the sender device relative to the recipient device includes;

defining a first angle between a vector pointing from the sender device and a vector pointing to the recipient device from the sender device,

defining a second angle between a vector pointing from the recipient device and a vector pointing in a direction in which the recipient device is oriented,

determining a third angle by subtracting the first angle from 180° and

adding the second angle, and

determining the direction of the sender device relative to the recipient device based on measuring the third angle from the vector pointing in the direction in which the recipient device is oriented.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data also includes information for generating a notification for identifying the sender.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the recipient device in the target area includes:

initially determining that the recipient device has recently moved out of the target area in the specified direction relative to the sender device, and

determining an area where the moving recipient device is likely to be located, wherein the target area is redefined to encompass the area where the recipient device is likely to be located.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identification of the recipient device is further based on a shared network connection with the sender device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identification of the recipient device is further based on a shared session with the sender device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein identification of the recipient device is further based on previous communication with the sender device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein identification of the recipient device is further based on GPS information indicating the location of the recipient device in the target area.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sender device becomes unable to send the specified information directly to the recipient device and wherein sending the specified information to the identified recipient device includes sending the indicated information to an intermediary device, wherein the intermediary device locates the recipient device and forwards the specified information to the recipient device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that a plurality of devices are proximate to the sender device, wherein identification of the recipient device includes selecting the recipient device from the plurality of devices.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein selection of the recipient device is based on a location of the recipient device being aligned with the specified direction relative to the sender device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein selection of the recipient device is based on inclusion in or exclusion from a list defined by the sender.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

generating a display comprising avatars representing each of the plurality of devices; and

receiving a selection from the sender, the selection indicating an avatar associated with the recipient device.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving a selection comprises:

receiving an indeterminate selection from the sender,

determining a potential target based on the indeterminate selection,

modifying the display to indicate the potential target, and

receiving confirmation from the sender that the potential target is the selected recipient device.

14. A device for direction-conscious information sharing, the device comprising:

a memory for storing information that is shareable with other devices;

an interface for receiving user input wherein the user input specifies information to be shared and a direction relative to the device; and

a processor for executing instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor identifies a recipient computing device in a target area, the target area being defined based on the specified direction relative to the device, wherein the specified information is sent to the recipient device, including data to allow the recipient device to generate a notification indicating a direction of the sender device relative to the recipient device, wherein indicating a direction of the sender device relative to the recipient device includes;

defining a first angle between a vector pointing from the sender device and a vector pointing to the recipient device from the sender device,

defining a second angle between a vector pointing from the recipient device and a vector pointing in a direction in which the recipient device is oriented,

determining a third angle by subtracting the first angle from 180° and

adding the second angle, and

determining the direction of the sender device relative to the recipient device based on measuring the third angle from the vector pointing in the direction in which the recipient device is oriented.

15. The device of claim 14, further comprising a magnetometer for determining an orientation of the device.

16. The device of claim 14, further comprising a GPS chip for determining a location of the device.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the interface receives information from another device and further comprising a display screen for displaying a notification concerning the received information and a direction of the another device relative to the device.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein the user has specified conditions for display of the notification and the conditions include the device having a specified orientation relative to the other device.

19. A computer-readable storage medium, having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method of direction-conscious information sharing, the method comprising:

receiving user input specifying information to be shared and a direction relative to a sender device;

identifying a recipient device located in a target area, the target area being defined based on the specified direction relative to the sender device; and

sending the specified information to the recipient device, including data to allow the recipient device to generate a notification indicating a direction of the sender device relative to the recipient device, wherein indicating a direction of the sender device relative to the recipient device includes;

defining a first angle between a vector pointing from the sender device and a vector pointing to the recipient device from the sender device,

defining a second angle between a vector pointing from the recipient device and a vector pointing in a direction in which the recipient device is oriented,

determining a third angle by subtracting the first angle from 180° and

adding the second angle, and

determining the direction of the sender device relative to the recipient device based on measuring the third angle from the vector pointing in the direction in which the recipient device is oriented.

20. A method of direction-conscious information sharing, the method comprising:

receiving user input at a sender device, the user input specifying information to be shared and a direction relative to the sender device;

executing instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor identifies a recipient device located in a target area, the target area being defined based on the specified direction relative to the sender device; and

sending the specified information to the recipient device, including data to allow the recipient device to generate a notification indicating a direction of the sender device relative to the recipient device, wherein indicating a direction of the sender device relative to the recipient device includes;

maintaining in memory a location of the sender device and a location of the recipient device,

defining a first vector from the location of the sender device to the location of the recipient device,

defining a second vector as pointing from the location of the sender device,

calculating a dot product of the first vector and the second vector, and

determining the direction of the sender device relative to the recipient device based on taking an inverse cosine of the dot product.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the data also includes information used to generate a notification that identifies the sender.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein identifying the recipient device in the target area includes:

initially determining that the recipient device has recently moved out of the target area in the specified direction relative to the sender device, and

determining an area where the moving recipient device is likely to be located, wherein the target area is redefined to encompass the area where the recipient device is likely to be located.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein identification of the recipient device is further based on a shared network connection with the sender device.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein identification of the recipient device is further based on a shared session with the sender device.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein identification of the recipient device is further based on previous communication with the sender device.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein identification of the recipient device is further based on GPS information indicating the location of the recipient device in the target area.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the sender device becomes unable to send the specified information directly to the recipient device and wherein sending the specified information to the identified recipient device includes sending the indicated information to an intermediary device, wherein the intermediary device locates the recipient device and forwards the specified information to the recipient device.

28. The method of claim 20, further comprising determining that a plurality of devices are proximate to the sender device, wherein identification of the recipient device includes selecting the recipient device from the plurality of devices.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein selection of the recipient device is based on a location of the recipient device being aligned with the specified direction relative to the sender device.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein selection of the recipient device is based on inclusion in or exclusion from a list defined by the sender.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

generating a display comprising avatars representing each of the plurality of devices; and

receiving a selection from the sender, the selection indicating an avatar associated with the recipient device.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein receiving a selection comprises:

receiving an indeterminate selection from the sender,

determining a potential target based on the indeterminate selection,

modifying the display to indicate the potential target, and

receiving confirmation from the sender that the potential target is the selected recipient device.

33. A device for direction-conscious information sharing, the device comprising:

a memory for storing information that is shareable with other devices;

an interface for receiving user input wherein the user input specifies information to be shared and a direction relative to the device; and

a processor for executing instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor identifies a recipient computing device in a target area, the target area being defined based on the specified direction relative to the device, wherein the specified information is sent to the recipient device, including data to allow the recipient device to generate a notification indicating a direction of the sender device relative to the recipient device, wherein indicating a direction of the sender device relative to the recipient device includes;

maintaining in memory a location of the sender device and a location of the recipient device,

defining a first vector from the location of the sender device to the location of the recipient device,

defining a second vector as pointing from the location of the sender device,

calculating a dot product of the first vector and the second vector, and

determining the direction of the sender device relative to the recipient device based on taking an inverse cosine of the dot product.

34. The device of claim 33, further comprising a magnetometer for determining an orientation of the device.

35. The device of claim 33, further comprising a GPS chip for determining a location of the device.

36. The device of claim 33, wherein the interface receives information from another device and further comprising a display screen for displaying a notification concerning the received information and a direction of the another device relative to the device.

37. The device of claim 33, wherein the user has specified conditions for display of the notification and the conditions include the device having a specified orientation relative to the other device.

38. A computer-readable storage medium, having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method of direction-conscious information sharing, the method comprising:

receiving user input specifying information to be shared and a direction relative to a sender device;

identifying a recipient device located in a target area, the target area being defined based on the specified direction relative to the sender device; and

sending the specified information to the recipient device, including data to allow the recipient device to generate a notification indicating a direction of the sender device relative to the recipient device, wherein indicating a direction of the sender device relative to the recipient device includes;

maintaining in memory a location of the sender device and a location of the recipient device,

defining a first vector from the location of the sender device to the location of the recipient device,

defining a second vector as pointing from the location of the sender device,

calculating a dot product of the first vector and the second vector, and

determining the direction of the sender device relative to the recipient device based on taking an inverse cosine of the dot product.